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Author Topic:   A new road trip
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(2)
Message 1 of 53 (809488)
05-18-2017 1:54 PM


I'm leaving on a new road trip next week. This time to Virginia for a dragonfly meeting. I will pick up my best friend in Wisconsin and then hook up with 2 more friends in Chicago.
As always I will be looking for dragonflies to photograph.....I have some new equipment and techniques I want to test that will increase my resolution and depth of field.
I am also hoping for some extreme weather, lightning storms and super-cells. I now have time-lapse and video capabilities as well as stills.
Night skies and the Milky Way are also on the agenda. I will be trying out some new techniques with this also that will give me cleaner sharper shots.
My wife is going to fly out and meet me after I drop my friend off and we will swing down through the Southwest and spend some time shooting canyons and exposed strata.
I am finishing up getting my truck ready for a long haul and getting music and audiobboks organized.
EvC has gotten more active recently, interesting, but I don't know whether I will be able to stay caught up. I can read using my phone most places now (when I'm not driving or shooting), but it is a pain to use to post.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

Replies to this message:
 Message 2 by NosyNed, posted 05-18-2017 3:17 PM Tanypteryx has replied
 Message 5 by NoNukes, posted 05-18-2017 5:02 PM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 3 of 53 (809502)
05-18-2017 4:10 PM
Reply to: Message 2 by NosyNed
05-18-2017 3:17 PM


Re: Ohhh gear porn!
I have some new equipment and techniques
What gear and what techniques?
Well, the Nikon D810 is new for me, I think you said you have it.
I have a 200mm mico-nikkor that I started using almost exclusively last year since my Sigma 180mm macro started malfunctioning. The 200 is noticeably sharper but I cannot use it with a teleconverter, so I need to get closer to my subject.
In the past, shooting with my D700 I mostly shot at f32 for longer depth of field and did not worry much about diffraction because of the small aperture. On the D810, the 36mp sensor is diffraction limited between f8 and f11 so depth will really suffer. I am experimenting with using an app on my android phone connected to the D810 that will allow me to set the closest focus point and furthest focus point and it will calculate how many overlapping steps need to be shot, based on my aperture and than shoot a quick stack that can be composited into a ultra-sharp, extended depth image. An added bonus is that by using a rather large aperture, f8, I should have fairly nice bokeh in the background. The app is called Helicon Remote. The free trial version will only work for jpegs though.
Of course, the trickiest part is doing all this fiddling with the phone and not having any movement of the subject. It is cool that the phone will show me what the camera sees and will automatically change the focus on the lens for each shot in the stack. Out in the bright sun the phone display will not be that easy to see....there are always tradeoffs.
Night photography: I want to tryout a technique of shooting a bunch of quick high ISO shots of the Milky Way and then using a program called Deep Sky Stacker to composite the images and remove the noise caused by the high ISO. This is a method that astrophotographers have been using for quite a while now, but I just ran across it.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 2 by NosyNed, posted 05-18-2017 3:17 PM NosyNed has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 4 by NosyNed, posted 05-18-2017 4:36 PM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 6 of 53 (809509)
05-18-2017 5:13 PM
Reply to: Message 4 by NosyNed
05-18-2017 4:36 PM


Re: diffraction
Picture 124734 in there is at f/51
I went through all of them twice, but I can't see one numbered 124734. There were a couple that didn't have numbers though.
For me, diffraction is a blurring of the finest details in the areas of sharpest focus. I especially notice it when I am blowing images up for printing or when I stop my lens down too far when shooting with a microscope objective mounted on the lens.
An effective aperture of f51 must be stopped all the way down on the 105. By the way, I think the 105mm micro-nikkor is the sharpest macro lens on the market. I don't have one but my 2 best friends shoot with it.
I don't know if you have ever used this Cambridge In Colour website about diffraction, but I have found it to be pretty useful. LENS DIFFRACTION & PHOTOGRAPHY
I am having trouble seeing obvious diffraction problems (old eyes maybe).
I hate having old eyes, but what can you do.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 4 by NosyNed, posted 05-18-2017 4:36 PM NosyNed has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 7 by NosyNed, posted 05-18-2017 5:18 PM Tanypteryx has not replied
 Message 8 by NosyNed, posted 05-18-2017 5:20 PM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 9 of 53 (809549)
05-18-2017 9:41 PM
Reply to: Message 8 by NosyNed
05-18-2017 5:20 PM


Re: D820
How bad will this be when we get about 46Mpixies later this year? And the files will be over 50Mb.
I have not seen any info about the D820. It is always fun to read about features on new cameras, but with digital the past few years, the incremental improvements of features have mostly been been frustratingly small and there is a bewildering array continuously released new bodies.
I think the removal of the anti-mosaicing filter from the sensors on the D800 series cameras has helped compensate for some of the effects of diffraction.
The megapixel wars are entering the absurd in my opinion. Primarily because there are fewer and fewer lenses that are capable resolving image details that take advantage of photo-sites that small.
The file size on the D810 is a pain to deal with when I am shooting deep stacks. Zerene Stacker cannot use raw files so they either have to be converted to TIFF at 211 megabytes or saved as TIFF to the memory card at 105 megabytes. Processing 500 images that are 105 mb in a stack strains even my high-end computer.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 8 by NosyNed, posted 05-18-2017 5:20 PM NosyNed has not replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 10 of 53 (809553)
05-18-2017 11:12 PM
Reply to: Message 5 by NoNukes
05-18-2017 5:02 PM


Hey, I am traveling to VA next week!!
Well, we probably won't get there until June 7-8.
I'm hoping for sunny beaches and clear night skies!!
I am also, once we get to Virginia. Coming across the plains though, I am hoping for anything short of death or injury from tornadoes and thunderstorms.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 5 by NoNukes, posted 05-18-2017 5:02 PM NoNukes has seen this message but not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 11 by RAZD, posted 05-19-2017 7:51 AM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 17 of 53 (809590)
05-19-2017 11:05 AM
Reply to: Message 11 by RAZD
05-19-2017 7:51 AM


My first thought is, there is no tightening screw or knob for the joints. I can't think of what I would use it for.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 11 by RAZD, posted 05-19-2017 7:51 AM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 18 by RAZD, posted 05-19-2017 11:17 AM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 19 of 53 (809596)
05-19-2017 11:51 AM
Reply to: Message 18 by RAZD
05-19-2017 11:17 AM


I also wondered why the level bubble was on the base not the top where it would be most useful.
I have a number of gadgets that have levels on the base. Supposedly, this is to set the tripod so the camera sits level. Most of those levels not worth anything, they are there for show and are not actually aligned to indicate a true level position. The little single bubble levels are completely useless in my opinion for adjusting anything to level.
I have a panoramic head for my tripod that works best if the base is leveled. This device is pretty handy if I am taking a series of vertical format shots that I want to stitch together into a seamless panoramic shot. It adjusts so the swivel axis is the center of the lens. Then near features like a bush and far features like the mountains are in perfect alignment in adjacent shots. It even maintains this alignment if the camera is tilted out of a level position.
Panosaurus 2.0 Fully Spherical Panoramic Head
It looks like it has been discontinued, too bad, it is a clever device and most models cost $300+.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 18 by RAZD, posted 05-19-2017 11:17 AM RAZD has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 20 by RAZD, posted 05-19-2017 12:18 PM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 21 of 53 (809604)
05-19-2017 12:39 PM
Reply to: Message 20 by RAZD
05-19-2017 12:18 PM


But I would want the level on the top where the camera is mounted.
Yep, I agree. I have a couple little cube 3-axis levels that slide into the hotshoe on the camera that work remarkably well.
With this device, I guess a level on the top would be ok if you were using it to test if the camera is level in its current position. If the base is not level though, any panning of the device and camera would de-level the camera.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 20 by RAZD, posted 05-19-2017 12:18 PM RAZD has seen this message but not replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(1)
Message 22 of 53 (809728)
05-20-2017 1:50 PM
Reply to: Message 11 by RAZD
05-19-2017 7:51 AM


They seem desperate to sell them.
I finally looked at their webpage. The last photo of the ZenTilt looks like they are taking a photo of a pile of shit. The ads clearly were not created by someone familiar with western culture.....
The comments are pretty good also. One says: Quick delivery, god quality. It doesn't get better than that.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 11 by RAZD, posted 05-19-2017 7:51 AM RAZD has seen this message but not replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 23 by NosyNed, posted 05-20-2017 2:57 PM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 25 of 53 (809872)
05-21-2017 10:39 PM
Reply to: Message 23 by NosyNed
05-20-2017 2:57 PM


Re: personal review TBA
I will be out of action for more than two weeks with a surgery scheduled soon.
Well, you live where you can still afford to have surgery. I hope it goes well.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 23 by NosyNed, posted 05-20-2017 2:57 PM NosyNed has replied

Replies to this message:
 Message 26 by NosyNed, posted 05-21-2017 11:11 PM Tanypteryx has replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 27 of 53 (809883)
05-22-2017 12:52 AM
Reply to: Message 26 by NosyNed
05-21-2017 11:11 PM


Re: Affordable
The prognosis is excellent so I will be lurking here for a few more years.
That's good news. You'll be in good company here, there are a fair number of us survivors.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 26 by NosyNed, posted 05-21-2017 11:11 PM NosyNed has not replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 31 of 53 (809962)
05-22-2017 12:34 PM
Reply to: Message 30 by jar
05-22-2017 10:28 AM


Re: Prognosis
Just to put things in perspective it is not unusual here in the US to wait a week or two to get results of blood work.
My urologist (one guy) retired last year so I had to switch to a new bunch. I normally have a cystoscopy every six months to check if my bladder cancer has returned. Three months ago I called to get set up with the new bunch. They couldn't get me in for a preliminary appointment until August 29.... my cystoscopy was due in April.
This is a simple procedure that took my old doctor 10 minutes from start to finish. I'm looking for another new doctor, but nothing gets in the way of my road trips, so it will have to wait until I get back home.
I am lucky because anything that has to do with my cancer is covered by a special insurance program that pays for everything. The technology with the scopes and detection of bladder cancer have improved a lot since I first was diagnosed in 2008, but the delivery of medical care has lapsed, at least where I live.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 30 by jar, posted 05-22-2017 10:28 AM jar has not replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


Message 34 of 53 (810107)
05-23-2017 2:37 PM
Reply to: Message 33 by Asgara
05-23-2017 1:52 PM


Re: Prognosis
I'm glad you are still with us!
There does come a point when the thought of transferring our consciousness to some sort of android body sounds more and more appealing.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

This message is a reply to:
 Message 33 by Asgara, posted 05-23-2017 1:52 PM Asgara has not replied

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(3)
Message 35 of 53 (810333)
05-28-2017 12:24 AM


Fossil Butte National Monument
This afternoon I stopped briefly (just before closing) at the visitor center of Fossil Butte National Monument. I am in the Southwestern corner of Wyoming. I plan to spend some time there in the morning. They have a very nice fossil collection of specimens that have been collected from limestone layers that are exposed at the tops of some fairly high buttes. These were formed in a large shallow lake the covered the area between 54 and 52 million years ago and is considered part of the Green River Formation. The dating comes from a volcanic ash layer within the formation.
This was a serendipitous discovery on my part. I didn't know it was here until I passed the sign, but I had stopped a couple places just before I got there to shoot photos of the exposed strata. That will teach me teach to plan ahead a bit since I have a good book on Wyoming geology with me.
I stopped and photographed the amazing Malad Gorge that cuts through thick flood basalt layers near Pocatello, Idaho earlier today. There were some really impressive class 1,000,000 rapids blasting through some narrow parts of the gorge that I am hoping my shots will capture. Exposure was a bitch here with bright sun on the white water and deep shadows on the black volcanic rock walls.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

  
Tanypteryx
Member
Posts: 4344
From: Oregon, USA
Joined: 08-27-2006
Member Rating: 5.8


(4)
Message 36 of 53 (810996)
06-03-2017 11:47 PM


made it to Wisconsin
I'm writing this with my phone so I will be brief. I spent an interesting morning at Fossil Butte and then went on across Wyoming. I spent a night freezing my ass off camped just north of Devils Tower. I shot what I hope will be printable images of the tower silhouetted against the Milky Way.
Tomorrow my friend and I will head to Chicago to hook up with another friend and a fourth who is flying in from Oregon. The gang will then head to Virginia for our dragonfly meeting.
The last 2 days I spent some nice quiet time in the field stalking elusive dragonflies wi t h my camera. The next couple days will combine some serious Pink Floyd with discussions of scientific projects we have have been working on as a team and individually. Spending time with these three is truly inspiring.

What if Eleanor Roosevelt had wings? -- Monty Python
One important characteristic of a theory is that is has survived repeated attempts to falsify it. Contrary to your understanding, all available evidence confirms it. --Subbie
If evolution is shown to be false, it will be at the hands of things that are true, not made up. --percy
The reason that we have the scientific method is because common sense isn't reliable. -- Taq

Replies to this message:
 Message 37 by NoNukes, posted 06-03-2017 11:58 PM Tanypteryx has seen this message but not replied

  
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